Match-box.



R. E. NORVILL.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-I4. I915- 1 1 98,260. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEET$SHEET I.

his. 20 1 I Li.

R. E. NOBVILL.

MATCH BOX- APPLICATION men Aue.14. 1915.

1,198,260. Patented Sept. 12,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BUEL EABNEST NOBVILL, OF MUNDAY, TEXAS.

lv/IATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

Application filed August 14, 1915. Serial No. 45,523.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RnnL E. NonvrLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Munday, in the county of Knox and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to improvements in match boxes.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of match boxes and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive match box adapted to permit only one match to be taken at a time from the match receptacle and capable of simultaneously operating a jointed figure to render it both attractive and amusing.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of a match box constructed in accordance with this invention, Fig. 2 is a central *ertical sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view through the lower portion of the match box, Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view on the line -l-l of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a plan view of the match receptacle, Fig. 6 is a similar view, the top or cover being removed.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawings in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a match receptacle, but the device may be employed for effecting the removal of tooth picks or other objects desired to be removed only one at a time. The receptacle 1 which is preferably rectangular in cross section is designed to be constructed of glass, metal, or other suitable material and it is provided with interiorly arranged oppositely inclined side faces adapted to center the matches beneath a plunger 2 and preferably formed by inclined partitions 3 consisting of a single piece of thin material such as sheet metal and suitably secl'lred to the sides and bottom of the receptacle.

The receptacle has its side walls extended above the front and rear walls to provide projecting flanges l to fit against the opposite edges of a removable cover 5 for holdmg the same against lateral movement. The rear wall 6 of the receptacle is preferably relativelythick and is provided with a ceritral vertical socket 7 adapted to receive the lower end of a vertical standard 8 of a frame which is secured to the receptacle by a set screw 10 mounted in a threaded perforation of the rear wall of the receptacle and engaging the lower portion of the standard 8. The standard 8 passes through an opening 11 in the top 5 of the match receptacle and the said top 5 is carried by the standard when the latter is removed from the socket of the rear wall, the set screw 10 serving to secure the cover on the receptacle to prevent access to the matches. The cover 5 is provided with a longitudinal slot 12 of a size to permit a match to pass through it and the said slot is also enlarged at the center at 13 for the passage of the plunger 2. The frame consists of the said standard 8, a horizontal arm 14 extending forwardly from the upper end of the standard and a depending tubular guide 15 in which the plunger 2 operates. The frame may be constructed of any suitable material preferably sheet metal and the tubular guide is provided with opposite longitudinal slots 16 to receive a horizontal screw (17 extending through the plunger and provided at its front or outer end with a thumb piece 18 ,and having its rear end projecting beyond the guide for the attachment of a spring 19 but an elastic cord may of course be em ployed or a plain heavy rubber band may be used to lift the plunger.

The thumb piece enables the plunger to be pressed downward against the action of the spring to carry a pair of jaws 20 into the match receptacle for engaging a match to lift the latter out of the receptacle. The plunger may be constructed of heavy wire or any other suitable material and the jaws consist of two flat springs which are secured to the lower end of the plunger in any suitable manner. The plunger has extended upper portions normally projecting above the frame and having its upper end connected by a pivot 21 to the arms 22 of a jointed figure 23 having its legs straddling the arm 14 and pivoted to the same at opposite sides thereof by the transverse pin 2t. The jointed figure which may be constructed of any suitable material is operated simultaneously with the match box which forms an attractive amusing device and which permits only one match to be removed from the match receptacle at each operation of the plunger.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described including a receptacle provided with a removable cover having an opening, said receptacle being also provided in one of its walls with a socket, a frame having a standard carrying the cover and extending below the same to fit in the said socket, fastening means engaging the standard and securing the same in the socket and retaining the cover on the receptacle and means carried by the frame for removing articles from the receptacle.

2. 4- device of the class described including a receptacle having extended side walls and provided with a relatively thick rear wall having a central socket, a cover supported upon the front and rear Walls and arranged between the extended side walls, a frame having a standard carrying the said cover and extending below the same and removably fitting in the said socket, and means carried by the frame for removing articles from the receptacle.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RUEL EARNEST NORVILL. \Vitnesses C. A. EILAND, W. A. CAMPBELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

